Sourdough Pancakes with Maple Apple Caramel Sauce
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There’s nothing better than a cozy stack of fluffy sourdough pancakes on a crisp fall morning, except maybe topping them with warm maple apple caramel sauce. These sourdough pancakes with maple apple caramel sauce are soft, tender, and perfectly tangy from the sourdough, and the buttery cinnamon-kissed apples take them to the next level. It’s the perfect weekend breakfast for the whole family and a fun seasonal twist on my classic recipe.
Recipe Overview: Sourdough Pancakes with Maple Apple Caramel Sauce
- ⏱ Prep Time: 6 hours
- 👩🏻🍳 Baking Time: 9 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 6 hours 9 minutes
- 🍞 Serving: 5
- ⚡ Calories: 390 calories per serving
- 🍂 Flavor Profile: Fluffy, tender sourdough pancakes with a subtle tang, topped with rich maple-apple caramel sauce for a sweet, comforting breakfast.
- 👌 Difficulty: Medium — requires mixing batter, cooking pancakes, and preparing the caramel sauce.
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- Recipe Overview: Sourdough Pancakes with Maple Apple Caramel Sauce
- Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Pancakes
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Tips for the Best Results
- Variations to Try
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage and Reheating
- FAQs About Sourdough Pancakes:
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- Sourdough Pancakes with Maple Apple Caramel Sauce
Fall breakfasts are meant to feel slow and special, and this one checks every box. From the gentle sourdough tang to the rich, glossy caramel drizzle, every bite tastes like autumn comfort. Whether you’re hosting brunch, meal-prepping for busy school mornings, or treating yourself to a delicious breakfast on a Saturday, these pancakes deliver a cozy, café-style experience right at home.
If you haven’t tried my Best Overnight Sourdough Pancake Recipe yet, start there to learn all the tips for making extra fluffy pancakes. This recipe builds on that base but adds a decadent, fall-inspired topping that tastes like autumn in every bite.
Why You’ll Love These Sourdough Pancakes
- Perfect fall treat: This sourdough pancakes with maple apple caramel sauce
is warm, fluffy, and packed with autumn flavors - Simple ingredients: pantry staples plus fresh apples and maple syrup
- Make-ahead friendly: prep the batter the night before for quick mornings
- Kid-approved: an instant hit at the breakfast table
- Rich, glossy apple topping: buttery, spiced, and perfectly balanced
- Naturally fermented: thanks to the sourdough starter, these tangy pancakes are lighter and easier to digest
- Easy to customize: add nuts, swap the topping, or keep them plain
- Adaptable for dietary restrictions like dairy-free or refined sugar-free
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Sourdough Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unfed but active sourdough starter
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Maple Apple Pancake Topping
- 2 medium apples, peeled & sliced or diced
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
- Small splash of lemon juice
- Tiny pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, milk, and sourdough starter. Mix until no dry streaks remain, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for at least 6 hours or refrigerate overnight.
- Step 2: The next morning, whisk in the eggs, melted butter, honey, and vanilla. Sprinkle in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently until smooth but avoid overmixing. The batter should be thick but pourable; add a splash of milk if needed.
- Step 3: In a hot griddle, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced or sliced apples and cook for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and a pinch of salt. Drizzle in maple syrup and lemon juice. Stir well and cook for another 3–5 minutes until the apples are tender and the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.
- Step 4: Preheat a skillet or griddle to medium heat (around 325°F). Lightly grease the hot pan with butter or oil. Pour ¼ cup of pancake batter per pancake onto the hot surface and cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer cooked pancakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet or cooling rack while you finish the rest.
- Step 5: Stack your warm sourdough pancakes high, spoon the maple apple topping generously over the top of the pancake, and serve immediately. Add another drizzle of maple syrup if you love a little more sweetness.
Tips for the Best Results
- Use an active sourdough starter for the fluffiest pancakes
- Don’t overmix the batter, stir just until combined
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a 200°F oven while finishing the batch
- Make the apple topping first so it has time to thicken slightly
- For a richer caramel flavor, add a splash of heavy cream to the topping
Variations to Try
- Salted Maple Apple Pancakes: add a pinch of flaky sea salt to the topping
- Pecan Crunch: stir chopped pecans into the apples for added texture
- Pumpkin Spice Pancakes: add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to the batter
- Caramel Drizzle Upgrade: add 2 tablespoon heavy cream to the apple topping for a thicker caramel sauce
- Cranberry-Apple Topping: stir fresh cranberries into the apples for a sweet-tart flavor
Serving Suggestions
- Pair with whipped cream and extra maple syrup for a brunch-style stack
- Add a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a bakery-worthy finish
- Serve alongside crispy bacon or sausage for a sweet-and-savory combo
- Top with toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch
- For extra indulgence, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and turn it into dessert
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover pancakes in a plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Freeze pancakes stacked with parchment paper between them for up to 2 months
- Reheat in the toaster or microwave until warm
- Refrigerate leftover apple topping for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving
FAQs About Sourdough Pancakes:
Overnight fermentation gives you the best flavor and fluffiest texture, but if you’re short on time, letting the batter rest for 2–3 hours at room temperature still works well.
You can, but the pancakes won’t rise quite as much. Adding about ½ teaspoon of baking powder helps give them a boost.
This usually means your starter wasn’t active enough or the batter was overmixed. Make sure your starter is bubbly and stir the batter gently—just until combined.
Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just reheat it gently on the stove before serving.
Absolutely. Use your favorite plant-based milk, swap the butter for coconut oil or vegan butter, and you’re good to go.
Definitely. Pears, peaches, or plums all work beautifully. You can also skip the fruit entirely and just make a simple maple topping.
Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and keep them in a 200°F oven until you’re ready to serve.
Yes—both the pancakes and the apple topping freeze well. Store in airtight containers and reheat gently. The topping may soften a bit but will still taste great.
You can substitute each egg with ¼ cup applesauce or a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water). The texture will be a bit softer and slightly denser.
Yes! This batter works great in a waffle iron—just cook until crisp and golden.
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Sourdough Pancakes with Maple Apple Caramel Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Plastic wrap
- 1 Griddle
- 1 Baking sheet or cooling rack
Ingredients
For the Sourdough Pancakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unfed but active sourdough starter
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil
- 2 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Maple Apple Pancake Topping
- 2 medium apples peeled & sliced or diced
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg optional
- Small splash of lemon juice
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, milk, and sourdough starter. Mix until no dry streaks remain, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temperature for at least 6 hours or refrigerate overnight.
- Step 2: The next morning, whisk in the eggs, melted butter, honey, and vanilla. Sprinkle in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently until smooth but avoid overmixing. The batter should be thick but pourable; add a splash of milk if needed.
- Step 3: In a hot griddle, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced or sliced apples and cook for 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), and a pinch of salt. Drizzle in maple syrup and lemon juice. Stir well and cook for another 3–5 minutes until the apples are tender and the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.
- Step 4: Preheat a skillet or griddle to medium heat (around 325°F). Lightly grease the hot pan with butter or oil. Pour ¼ cup of pancake batter per pancake onto the hot surface and cook until bubbles form on top and the edges look set. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer cooked pancakes to a parchment-lined baking sheet or cooling rack while you finish the rest.
- Step 5: Stack your warm sourdough pancakes high, spoon the maple apple topping generously over the top of the pancake, and serve immediately. Add another drizzle of maple syrup if you love a little more sweetness.
Notes
Tips for the Best Results
- Use an active sourdough starter for the fluffiest pancakes
- Don’t overmix the batter, stir just until combined
- Keep cooked pancakes warm in a 200°F oven while finishing the batch
- Make the apple topping first so it has time to thicken slightly
- For a richer caramel flavor, add a splash of heavy cream to the topping
Variations to Try
- Salted Maple Apple Pancakes: add a pinch of flaky sea salt to the topping
- Pecan Crunch: stir chopped pecans into the apples for added texture
- Pumpkin Spice Pancakes: add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to the batter
- Caramel Drizzle Upgrade: add 2 tablespoon heavy cream to the apple topping for a thicker caramel sauce
- Cranberry-Apple Topping: stir fresh cranberries into the apples for a sweet-tart flavor
Serving Suggestions
- Pair with whipped cream and extra maple syrup for a brunch-style stack
- Add a sprinkle of powdered sugar for a bakery-worthy finish
- Serve alongside crispy bacon or sausage for a sweet-and-savory combo
- Top with toasted pecans or walnuts for crunch
- For extra indulgence, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and turn it into dessert
Storage and Reheating
- Store leftover pancakes in a plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Freeze pancakes stacked with parchment paper between them for up to 2 months
- Reheat in the toaster or microwave until warm
- Refrigerate leftover apple topping for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving
